Note: The article below is a guest blog post, written by Extra Space Storage (www.extraspace.com). From time to time, Gettum Associates includes articles which we feel would benefit our readers, from outside sources.
If you’re getting ready for a remodel, you might be wondering if there is anything you should do to prepare. The answer, of course, is an emphatic yes. You should never walk into a remodel without following a few of these tips. It could make for a much smoother, much less stressful remodel.
First, get a sense of how long the remodel will take. This will give you a good timeframe for how long you will have to be without that section of the house. Push your contractor to give you a firm estimate. This will keep them in check and give them a target date to shoot for while also giving you a good indication of how much planning you need to do.
Next, go through the room and take inventory of all the things that are there. My personal organization philosophy is simple: the amount of stuff you have is directly proportional to the amount of organizational stress you have. Remodeling can be a perfect time to cleanse your room of all the things you don’t use any more. Do you really need that collection of old magazines? Does anyone ever use all 10 of those blankets you keep stacked up in the closet? Look for opportunities to donate and recycle before you put something in the dumpster.
Next, look at the items you will need to keep on hand throughout the remodel. Put them into boxes and set them off in the garage or in another room. Next, package up the other items — the knick knacks, decorations, pieces of furniture — and try to find one room where you can put these items. You might want to put bills and other important documents in a dresser drawer or somewhere where you will easily have them on hand. There is nothing worse than getting penalized for late payment because you couldn’t find the bill.
The purpose of storing everything in one room is two-fold. First, it will allow you to consolidate everything easily. If you need something that was in the remodeled room, just check this storage room. The second reason is that it will allow you to live in the remodeled house without feeling too much like it’s being remodeled. Hide everything away in one room, and you will stay organized and sane throughout the whole process.
Garret Stembridge works in the self storage industry, regularly traveling to see locations like a Paramount self storage unit. In many locations, like his Placentia self storage facility, Garret helps his customers store seasonal sports gear when it is not being used for outdoor activities or equipment for home improvement projects that are waiting to happen.
